River wakes, excited for her tribe's powwow celebration, until she realizes she won't be participating in the Grand Entry dance because she is sick. Downtrodden, River sits on the sidelines during the event, dressed in her jingle dress and moccasins, feeling disconnected from the dancers and the ceremony. When it's time for the girls' jingle dance, River doesn't participate, but her friend promises to dance for her. As the clinking dresses meet the rhythm of the drum beats, River opens her heart to the healing powers of the dance, to honoring the Creator, and to remembering her ancestors.